


wishful thinking

by bj62



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 17:56:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20782736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bj62/pseuds/bj62
Summary: Mary remembers her first love, and is glad that she took a second chance with Chris.





	wishful thinking

They met by chance. She was so involved with her thoughts that she stumbled and before she could fall, he caught her. Boston was a prominent city of the east coast, and she knew of no place else she would rather be... until he caught her. It was awkward to say the least, but it was also fate.

They exchanged names and he took her to a restaurant to settle her nerves. It was only logical that he would escort her home. For her, it was love at first sight. She could not believe that such a thing would happen to her, but from the time he held her in an awkward embrace, to the time she looked into the depth of his eyes, she knew. Things progressed quickly after that.

Steven Travis was in the process of saying his good byes. He had found an opportunity in a place called Four Corners. The town was in the process of growing and with some help from his father, he would start a newspaper.

When he caught Mary it was by accident and instinct. He had been walking a few steps behind her, and saw her as she startled to stumble. The street was busy with the rush of traffic. She was almost tripping over her ankles when he reached out to catch her. He managed to lean her back into him before she hurt herself. He took a whiff of her scent and for a moment forgot where he was. He smiled at the thought of holding her in different ways.

She wondered what made her think of Steven in that way. Years had passed and she was with someone who had stolen her heart from the moment he helped Nathan from being lynched until now. The love she felt for Chris could not be denied, but for some odd reason, the memories of Steven were strong today.

Memories are not of years or days but of moments. She had no choice but to follow him because her heart was there.

Four Corners was an ever changing city in the middle of nowhere that was growing every day. She was part of that growth and worked with her husband side by side. People wanted to know about the growing city. With the help of the telegraph, they could report on things that were happening around the country. 

Steven was respected in the community and was becoming a honorary father of Four Corners. He had the support of many so it came as a shock that he became a target. He was following one of the darker elements that had emerged and was becoming a force to be reckoned with. Then the impossible happened. He was murdered in his office while his son played in the corner. Much as Mary wanted to allow the grief to overcome her, she needed to fill his shoes. The trail of those who had killed her husband went cold quickly. There was no way that she could run a paper and take care of Billy. She sent him to Boston and her father-in-law. the great Orrin Travis, met them at the station and waved goodbye to Mary. There was no way she could contain her grief while caring for her son, until the bastards were caught.

Years passed and although she missed her son, she sometimes slept while setting type. Days merged and when Billy was able to travel the long way back, she sent for him. By that time Chris and the others had taken residence in the town of Four Corners, and Orrin made sure the law was a prominent force in the town. Little did she know that the men who murdered Steven were walking about as if nothing had happened. Little did she know that Billy could identify them.

With the help of Chris and the others, the murderers of her husband were finally brought to justice. Because of that, she was finally able to resume a life with her son. She realized that Chris could be part of her life.

She had heard of how he had become the man in black. She learned of the murder of his wife and son. He too had lost those who he held most dear. He had stopped wearing colors and started to wear black. He had lost faith in humanity until he met up with the five men and his friend Buck. With the help of Orrin Travis, he changed his ways. He was still on the look out for the ones responsible for the deaths of his wife and son.

They both had suffered incalcuable losses.

They both had memories they had to deal with. Memories that would come without notice were part of daily life.

He was afraid to get close to her because he had made too many enemies. He did not want to risk her becoming a target. He could not take another death of someone he held most dear because of the enemies that were out there waiting...

Mary was so different from Sara. He was a different man from who he was when he was starting out with Sara. Mary challenged him on so many levels. In part, that was why he loved her. She managed to bring out a tenderness, and compassion that he had felt with no other woman.

That was why he knew she was aching for Steven in much the same way he ached for Sara. He could sense it in her when he walked through the doors of the Clarion and saw her working over the type. 

She had not heard the door chime. She was lost in her memories. Her hand was frozen in time. She could see him clear as day. Before she could blink, Chris had his arms around her and the warmth of his arms brought her back.

Touch was such a simple thing.

She fell into his arms and he sighed. He could sense the moment pass, and waited. He was glad that she needed him on so many levels. His love for her had become a need that was different from Sara. 

The embrace became a need for them both. No words needed, 

Just a pause that would feel like a life time that lasted for just a moment.

finis

**Author's Note:**

> my husband died in 2004. he was the man who would whisper in my ear 'are you naked' my response was 'yes under my clothes'
> 
> our love changed from a want into a need we worked and played together and found laughter as well as love you see with your heart.
> 
> our love song was 'we have all the time in the world' I sang it at his service
> 
> on his birthday i started this piece, but he must have not wanted it posted because as i was proofing it i lost some of the work. the love does not fade.
> 
> he is with me still....


End file.
